Barcelona missed out on Marco Asensio, the Spanish sensation who has scored in stunning fashion against them twice in four days because club chiefs tried to haggle over €2million - pushing the player into the clutches of Real Madrid.

The young forward bagged the third in the 3-1 first leg win at Camp Nou, before netting with a wicked dipping effort just four minutes into the second leg at the Bernabeu, killing any hope of a Barcelona comeback.

Asensio, after a breakthrough season in the Spanish capital last term, is pushing for an increased role with Los Blancos, with those at the Bernabeu increasingly confident that he is on course to be a star.

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However, Madrid chiefs were only able to step in after Barcelona bosses attempted to haggle on a fee, when they had first option to take him from San Moix. At the time, Mallorca were keen on an immediate deal worth €4.5million in total.

Barca chiefs stalled and looked to pay his fee in instalments - €2.5million up front with €2million in add-ons.

Asensio in his time with Mallorca (Image: Getty)

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"Barca said: 'No, we're not able.' They lost the opportunity,” long-time agent Horacio Gaggioli, who first spotted him as a nine year-old told Bleacher Report. "When they changed their mind after three months, it was too late.”

That procrastination allowed Madrid to nip in. Rafa Nadal, a fellow Balaeric Islander and Real Madrid fan, rung Florentino Perez, urging him to nip in and take Asensio. Perez spoke to club officials before phoning Asensio personally and telling the then 19-year-old: "Relax, Marco, you're going to be a Real Madrid player.”

Unlike their Catalan counterparts, Madrid didn't procrastinate.

Netting in the Champions League final (Image: REUTERS)

The youngster's rise continues (Image: REUTERS)

"The offer from Real Madrid for Asensio was 20 times better than Barcelona's in every aspect, football-wise and financially,” added Gaggioli.

"It is true, Rafa Nadal called Florentino Perez to make sure I didn't get away,” Asensio told a Real Madrid documentary earlier this year. "When I was presented at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu it was one of the happiest days of my life.”

Now Asensio is starting to thrive at the home of football's biggest club and has a contract extension with a buyout clause in excess of £300million heading his way. Barcelona meanwhile are struggling to replace Neymar, and have a squad that is growing old together and looks short on depth.

“Asensio has become a big player and can become a Ballon d'Or winner,” Perez has declared.

If all goes to plan, he will become one of Barcelona's greatest ever regrets.